Electric Field Direction from Two Charges · PhysicsBowl 2014 #10
Physics · electromagnetism
Problem
Two charges, −Q and +Q, are fixed in place on the x-axis, each a distance a from the origin as shown. At the point labeled P, a distance d along the y-axis from the origin, what is the direction of the electric field from the given charges?
[Figure: Two charges -Q and +Q positioned symmetrically on x-axis at distances ±a from origin, with point P on positive y-axis at distance d from origin]
(A) Up the plane of the page
(B) Down the plane of the page
(C) To the right
(D) To the left
(E) There is no electric field.